Backers of the 4/6 favourite Nostrum would certainly have been hopeful entering the final two furlongs, but Epictetus came home best at 6/1 to take the Group 3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes.
It's hard to say Ryan Moore and Nostrum did much wrong as the pair set out to make all the running in this afternoon's Group 3-mile contest but Frankie Dettori always had the leader in his sights.
Dettori, who is embarking on his swansong season, pulled his mount off the inside to make his bid with a couple of furlongs to run. He still looked to have plenty to do at that stage but continued to wear away at the longtime leader Nostrum and the Gosden-trained runner eventually prevailed by a length.
The son of Kingman had been campaigned over ten furlongs and further but definitely appreciated the drop back to a mile following his disappointing effort in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Assistant trainer Thady Gosden explained: "It took us three attempts at 1m2f to work out that [he wants a mile]! The horse showed plenty of speed over a mile at two, and we thought he was a horse who'd progress to 1m2f this year obviously that did not pan out – he has run good races but not what we thought that he was capable of.
"Dropping down in trip on ground that suited him worked today.
"It was a perfect ride from Frankie, he was keen not to send him from the gates, he broke well, and he sat him on the fence, and he followed Ryan and did an 'Houdini move', and being Frankie that worked out.
"Obviously there is a mile race back here, the Celebration Mile, which fits in well.
"He ran a very good race last year in the Racing Post Trophy when second to a future Derby winner on soft ground, he rolls his knee a little bit and he is bred to like a little bit of give in the ground. It is slightly less tacky today and bit more good to soft.
"Nostrum is a very smart horse, Frankie gave our horse a brilliant ride, but at the same time he has come from behind and picked up on the ground, it has not been that easy. He has done it well."
Frankie Dettori told ITV Racing: "We tried a mile with him last year, so as a three-year-old we tried to stretch him [over a longer trip]. After a couple of times, it didn't work out so John and Thady [Gosden, trainers] decided to drop him back to a mile and it worked.
"Once I got the gap it was up to me to do the rest, and while Ryan wasn't stopping [on favourite Nostrum], my horse showed a turn of foot. Now we've got the distance right we can concentrate on mile races.
"There is the Celebration Mile here in three weeks' time, which is a possibility, but we can go to work in those kind of races."
Dettori rides Free Wind in the Epictetus colours of George Strawbridge in tomorrow's Goodwood Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes. He said: "We took on the boys at Ascot, but the ground was plenty quick enough for her. She stays a mile and six - she won the Park Hill Stakes - she's favourite, and while she's giving weight away, she's tough. I'm expecting a big run.
"I've had a lot of success here at Goodwood, including my first winner in '87 many moons ago. It's been a good hunting ground and I'm going to miss it, but let's enjoy the next two days."
